Craft

This is one of New York's best eateries. So why are we reviewing it here? Well, it's a great place to sit for a lingering lunch and while cocktails aren't the order of the day some gorgeous wines really make it.

This is one of New York’s best eateries. So why are we reviewing it here? Well, it’s a great place to sit for a lingering lunch and while cocktails aren’t the order of the day some gorgeous wines really make it. The list is now run by beverage director Greg Majors, who was formerly at Cru another Manhattan restaurant famed for its wine. As he circulates affably around the tables diners are advised to flag down Mr Majors for advice, and some excitement for the palate. The food is perhaps best described as a less fussy take on French cuisine. Dishes are deceptively simple in their presentation, but the masterful use of the very finest American ingredients makes everything a lofty pleasure. Your meal might even be cooked by owner Tom Colicchio, who can be found behind the stove here some nights, when he’s not checking on his other concerns in Chelsea, Dallas and Los Angeles. The restaurant has maintained the minimalistic, somewhat masculine aesthetic with which it opened on 2001, with a galaxy of bare Edison bulbs dangling overhead and surfaces made of leather and concrete, terra cotta and unprocessed steel. Tables are wide and bare, providing the perfect setting for food served family-style. The result is a room that is pared back but not sterile. The lights are kept low and candles flicker, suffusing diners in a rosy glow. With a warm atmosphere from staff to structure the stage is set to lean back, savour that glass, or bottle, of wine, and feel sumptuously cocooned in luxury.